Aeroplane-guy-wire tightener.



1. T. HAVENS. AEROPLANE GUY WIRE TIGHTENER.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 30,1915.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

A 7TOR/VEY8 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AEROLANE-GUY-WIRE TIGH'IENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

Application led July 30, 1915. Serial No. 42,741.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. HAvENs, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Asbury Park, in the county of Monmouth and State of NewJersey, have invented a new and Improved Aeroplane-Guy-Wire Tightener,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to aeroplanes and has to deal particularly with adevice whereby the guy wires can be quickly tightened or released, thedevice being of comparatively simple and inexpensive construction,reliable and efficient in use, andV so designed as to be applicable tousual forms of aeroplane construction.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a connectingdevice between the vertical struts and the horizontal beams of theaeroplane structures of an aeroplane, such connecting` devices havingnovel means for fastening the guy wires thereto in such a manner thatthe wires can be quickly and easily tightened or released.

With such objects in view, and others which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention comprises various novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts which will be set forth withparticularity in the following description and claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of theinvention and wherein similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views, Figure 1 is a front view of aportion of an aeroplane frame; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of aguy wire tightening and releasing device; and Figs. 3 and 4 arehorizontal sections respectively on the lines 3 3 and 4 4, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, 1 and 2 designate the upper and lower beams ofan aeroplane frame, and 3 the spaced vertical struts. These struts havecaps 4 itted to the ends, and projecting from the caps are threadedstuds 5 which pass through the beams 1 and 2 and have. nuts 6 for firmlysecuring the parts together. The frame is stiliened by guy wires 7disposed in the usual manner, and the ends of the guy wires are formedwith loops 8 which are engageable with levers 9 which are fulcrumed at10 on the inner ends of the caps 4, the free ends of the levers beingprovided with screw-'threads 1 1, whereby a single nut l12 can lock allthe levers on a cap 4 in a position that maintains the guy wires taut.In other words, the nut 12 surrounds thel cap 4 and the free ends of thelevers are clamped against the outer portion of the cap by the nut l2 orequivalent means which is movable axially on and olf the levers whenthey are substantially parallel with the axis of the cap. To provide foradjustment the levers have adjacent their pivoted ends a plurality'ofrecesses or seats 13 into which the loops 8 of the guy wires 7 can beengaged.

In applying the guy wires the tightening or releasing levers 9 arethrown laterally to a position approximating that shown by dotted linesin the upper right-hand corner of Fig. 1, so that the loops on the guywires can be passed over the free ends of the levers and sliplongitudinally on the latter toward the hinged ends. The loops areengaged in the appropriate seats 13 and then the levers are throwninwardly against the caps 4, and while so held the clamping ring 12 isscrewed on the levers, as shown in Fig. 2. By this arrangement anydesired tension may be placed on the guy wires, and furthermore, the guywires can be easily and quickly attached or detached so as to facilitatethe setting up or knocking down of the aeroplane.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, the advantages of the construction and method of operation willbe readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains, and while I have described the principle of operation,together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodimentthereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merelyillustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as fallwithin the lscope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A device of the class described comprising a cylindrical body,aplurality oflevers spaced around and extending longitudinally of thebody and fulcrumed all at the same end of the body, the free ends of thelevers having threads, a nut surrounding the body and engaged with thethreaded ends of the levers for drawing the latter inwardly against thebody, and means on the fulable toward and from the fulcrums of thellevers, and means holding all the levers in a position to maintain thelguy Wires underl tension.

3. In an aeroplane, the combination of a strut, a plane beam, a memberfitted to the end of the strut, levers fulcrumed on the member, guywires engaged with the levers, anda ring surrounding the member andengageablewith the free ends of the levers for holding the latterWithvthe guy Wires under tension.

4. In an aeroplane, the combination of a plane beam, a strut fastenedthereto, a plurality of guy wires, levers carried by the strut and WithWhich the ends of the guy Wires are engageable, and means having aythreaded engagement with all the levers to exert a final' tension on theguy Wires and maintain such tension.

5. In an aeroplane, the combination of a plane beam, a strut fastenedthereto, a plurality .of guy Wires, levers carried by the strut andWi-th which the ends of the guy Copies of this patent-may be obtainedfor Wires are engageable, each lever having a plurality of seatsarranged respectively at if-'erentdistances from the fulerum of thelever for adjustable engagement With the guyl Wire, and means forholding the levers in approximate parallelism with the strut to maintainthe guy Wires under tension.

6. A 'device-of the class described comprising a cap, levers fulcrumedon the .cap and each having means with which a guy Wire may beadjustably engaged, a ring surrounding the cap and arranged to engagethe free ends of the levers to hold the same in normal position.

7 A device of the class described comprising a cap, a plurality oflevers fulcrumed on the inner end of the cap and swinging in planespassing through the axis of the latter,

means on each lever for permitting adjustable connections With a guyWire, and a ring surrounding the cap and engageable with the free endsof the levers for holding the latter approximately parallel With theaxis of the In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspecification inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN THOMAS HAVENS. Witnesses:

. MARTIN L. FERRIS,

SCOTT R. HAYCOCK.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D.C.

